An 8/10 is only awarded to a game we consider truly worthy of your hard-earned cash. Oh, how you’ll laugh… and then probably cry as he darts past your pathetic, lifeless corpse. Look at that as practice for when your pal comes ‘round for another couple of matches. If you’re eager to hop online, you’ll probably be disappointed, and you shouldn’t expect big things from ruthlessly murdering computer-controlled characters. The rush of mouthing off, and the shame of then losing the match, hasn’t been replicated this well in quite some time. Nidhogg brings that joy back into your life.
VERDICT: As the years go by, opportunities to shout expletives into the face of someone you call your “friend” become less and less frequent. The retro look is definitely becoming an overplayed trope within the independent market, but Nidhogg’s absurdity makes this trip a delightful one. The dynamic sound of electronic artist Daedelus lends itself perfectly to the altered mindset one assumes when peering at the screen. On the surface, you could look at Nidhogg and dismiss its minimalistic, jaggy art, but you would really be doing it a disservice. They certainly aren’t bumbling oafs, but the excitement of battling a human-controlled character cannot be matched and that leads to the lone sessions becoming tired very quickly. The AI is also nothing that will test the might of accomplished Nidhogg players. The Clouds map does pose problems though, as the pigmentation makes it difficult to differentiate between player and environment.
While the choice is limited, all of the arenas are varied enough that complaints are pretty minimal. You must defeat twelve swordsmen as quickly as possible within the four available areas. At least at time of writing, getting into a match proved difficult and once I eventually joined one, the lag made it almost unplayable.Īlso, the single-player portion lacks any of the bite seen in local multiplayer. There is another reason why playing locally is better: simply because the online component isn’t reliable. The first-timer will no doubt come into Nidhogg and expect something rudimentary, but the system runs deep and they’ll get themselves killed pretty quickly. It wasn’t long before my friend and I were engaged in stand-offs where I was blocking their route to the goal and their only option was to meet me, head on. On top of that, there are the obvious mind games that come with a title like this. You can foil your rival’s plans by leg sweeping, divekicking, disarming – you can even fling your épée in their direction and hope for connection. It’s not just about running up to your opponent, stabbing them in the heart and legging it to the finish line – a winner will need a strategy. As well as that, it’s quickly learned that there’s more to Nidhogg than meets the eye. By driving your sabre through your buddy’s brain, neon-coloured blood will paint the floor and the trash-talking will begin. Essentially, it’s a fighting game with one-hit kills. With two controllers in action, Nidhogg becomes the best multiplayer game you’ve experienced in quite some time. Also (and it seems strange to say this in 2014) the best way to play with friends is when they’re sat next to you, gloating or crying in despair, depending on the situation. There is no denying that Meshoff has developed an excellent multiplayer game, with an adequate singleplayer mode attached. That is both where Nidhogg excels immensely and, sadly, where it also fails. Matches can last up to thirty minutes, or can end just as quickly as they begin, depending on how formidable your opponent is. However, your fellow fencer will respawn right in front of you, seconds after a death, ready to duel once again. A successful execution will see an arrow – akin to that seen in old beat ‘em ups like Streets of Rage and Double Dragon – appear on screen and indicate that you must rush through the area and reach your goal. But in the same breath, none of that matters when your avatar is a pixelated yellow swordsman, on a trippy cloud backdrop.Īcross four different 2D arenas, two combatants face-off, with the objective being to kill your foe and race to the finish line. It’s a slightly peculiar choice of sport to emulate as it can’t be said that the blade-based martial art has any Wayne Rooney, Kobe Bryant or even Phil “The Power” Taylor to speak of. This, my friends, is the best fencing game you’ll play this year.
With sweat dripping from your brow, you must outrun your adversary, bask in the glory of your adoring fans and jump into the mouth of a phallic-like serpent known as the Nidhogg. Once you’ve downed your opponent, the hunter becomes the hunted.
Some would say it’s all about the thrill of the chase, but honestly, it’s more about the fear the chase brings with it.
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